From left, Pvt. 1st Class Charles Manacmul, Spc. Javier Rodriguez, Ms. Janae Perez, Maj. Bumjin Park, Mrs. Vanessa Toves, and Spc. Roy Taimanglo of the Guam National Guard’s Directorate of Information Management team recently scored among the top four states and territories in the nation, during a periodic National Guard Command Cyber Readiness Inspection in December 2021. ()
BARRIGADA, Guam (Jan. 24, 2022) – In the most recent National Guard Command Cyber Readiness Inspection, the Guam National Guard scored in the top four of all states and territories in the nation. Maj. Bumjin Park, director of information management (J6) for the Guam Guard, talks about how one of the smallest J6 sections in the country achieved this remarkable accomplishment in the interview below.
Q: What exactly is the CCRI, and why is it important? J6: The National Guard’s Command Cyber Readiness Inspection happens every 3-4 years. It’s like a report card, aimed at improving security of the Department of Defense Information Network. It’s also designed to evaluate the military installation’s overall cyber security posture.
Q: What are some examples of things they look at? J6: This year, we showcased some new technology such as virtualization solutions. We have an aggressive plan to remediate vulnerabilities, and we do our best to keep up with all the new updates and technical guidelines. Our end goal is to reduce the cyber-attack “surfaces” that adversaries may exploit not only here in Guam, but for the DoD network as a whole.
Q: They say the Cyber Domain will be the battlefield of the future. Does this high score mean Guam is ready for this type of conflict? J6: Actually, the future is now. You can see cyber threats happening almost every day, not just in the military but in the civilian sector as well. Our adversaries can’t compete with the conventional military might of the U.S., so cyber-attacks have become more common. So yes, we have to be ready now. With regard to readiness, Guam and specifically the Guam Guard is on the right track. As our leaders continue to make funding and staffing cyber defense a priority, we will continue to improve our posture.
Q: How did Guam, one of the smallest Guards in the nation, receive such a high score? J6: Just like anything worth doing well, it takes a team. Beginning with the support of our Adjutant General, Maj. Gen. (GU) Aguigui giving us her fullest support, we were able to bring on temporary helpers to prepare. We also got help from the National Guard Bureau CCRI Site Assistance Team, and Naval Information Warfare Pacific Cyber Hygiene Assistance Team. But mostly, I have to give credit to the team. When everyone in the Guard follows the best security practices, it makes our jobs easier. In the shop, we have strong leaders in Mr. Plamin Rabino, Chief Warrant Officer 2 Tom Aguon, Sgt. First Class Melissa Leonen, Staff Sgt. Celine Taitano, and the rest of the J6 staff is always dedicated and professional. Even though we relied heavily on temporary staff, they stayed late, worked weekends, and did what needed to be done. Credit goes to them!
Q: What needs to be done to maintain this high level of readiness moving forward? J6: Just continually maintaining and enforcing the standards. We hope our leaders will continue to provide us with the staffing, equipment, and funds we need to ensure we continue to defend the Cyber Domain. It’s just another way we as a National Guard can be always ready, and always there.
